UCLA School of Medicine has a long tradition of the application of knowledge gained through basic science research to the clinical setting to benefit the health of children. The Human and Molecular Development theme of the proposed UCLA Child Health Research Center (CHRC) emphasizes our fundamental approach to the diseases of children that includes the discipline of developmental biology, molecular genetics and cell biology. Each of the proposed CHRC Faculty Mentors is committed to training pediatrician scientists and each one is the Principal Investigator with ROI, PO1 and/or HHMI funding. All of the proposed Faculty Mentors can provide basic science training in methodology to allow junior pediatric faculty members to establish their own independent, fundable research programs applicable to the clinical problems of children. The objectives of the proposed UCLA CHRC include: 1)to increase the number, effectiveness, and gender and ethnic diversity of pediatric investigators engaged in human and molecular development research applied to child health problems by establishing a center of excellence to be known as the UCLA CHRC, by developing mentoring (including the Faculty Mentors, the CHRC Advisory Committee, external reviewers, and the Academic Pediatrics Course) and by the monthly research seminar; 2)to facilitate the research activities of New Program Development Awardees and Faculty Mentors by providing the Human and Molecular Development Core Laboratory; and 3)to provide increased opportunities for creative interdisciplinary approaches to pediatric diseases by bringing together basic scientists and pediatrician investigators interested in human and molecular development applications to clinical medicine through the use of the core laboratory and the monthly research seminars.